128 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [isf jan. 



of Gabo, the Inlet stretches away to the long estuary of the Genoa 

 River, while in a northerly direction it reaches away in numerous 

 fantastical indentations to receive the tribute of small mountain 

 streams. It is this marvellously-indented shore-line that makes 

 Mallacoota what it is. The long sand-ribbons scattered through- 

 out the Inlet add to its attractiveness, though a nuisance to 

 navigation : but nothing quite equals those fanciful little coves 

 that play hide and seek with the incoming tide. Clipped in with 

 sombre, heavily-timbered hills, whereon bracken fern runs down 

 to the shore-hne, the Mallacoota water provides " wide wandering 

 for the greediest eye." 



We obtained an idea that first afternoon of the class of birds 

 adjacent to the homestead. There was nothing out of the ordinary. 

 The omnipresent Blue Wren {Malurus cyaneus) was much in 

 evidence. Scarlet-breasted Robins {Peiroica leggii) flitted silently 

 among the tea-tree scrub. The White-shafted Fantail (Rhipidura 

 alhiscapa) was well represented in the orchard ; the Fan-tailed 

 Cuckoo [Cacomantis flabelliformis) trilled frequently ; the Coach- 

 whip {Psophodes crepitans) cracked in a damp gully close by ; 

 while the pretty Lalagc (Campephaga) humeralis and several other 

 well-known species were nesting not far from the house. But it 

 was the Inlet itself that provided the most striking bird picture, 

 the thousands of Black Swans {Chenopis atrata) that apparently 

 spend the summer on the peaceful waters and sands being a sight 

 of ever-recurring interest. They tacked about in squadrons 

 suggestive of old Spanish galleons, and, whenever disturbed — they 

 were very wary — would start off in their hundreds across the 

 water with a splendid show of black and white, and a noisy patter 

 resembling the hand-clapping of a particularly enthusiastic foot- 

 ball crowd. 



There was only time that afternoon for a ramble of a few miles 

 about the thickly-timbered and heavily-brackened country east 

 of the homestead. It was not a particularly interesting walk, 

 for the scenery was prosaic and the birds few in numbers. Both 

 the Rufous and Golden-breasted Whistlers [Pachycephala rufi- 

 ventris and P. gutturalis) were well represented, however, and they 

 did their best to cheer the way. Later we found that the 

 handsome P. gutturalis was remarkably plentiful in all parts of 

 the adjacent localities. 



Braving a misty rain on the Wednesday morning, most of the 

 party went by motor launch to the big sand-bank of the Inlet, 

 and there found eggs of the Pied Oyster-catcher {Hcematopus 

 longirostris) and Red-capped Dottrel. A lunch-hour ramble 

 about the vicinity of little Refuge Cove, adjacent to the mouth 

 of the Genoa, revealed little bird life ; and the same was the case 

 on various islets — magnified sand-banks, lightly timbered, and 

 carrying a good deal of Mesembryanthemum. The most inter- 

 esting birds taken that day by other workers were the Flame- 

 breasted Robin [Petroica phoenicea) and Gang-Gang Cockatoo 

 {Callocephalon galeatum). Later we found Flame-breasts rather 



